Micah Richards has signed for Aston Villa on a free-transfer and will be earning a reported £65,000 a week for the next 4 years. He will be joining Aston Villa on July 1st after his contract expires with Man. City. This also marks the first signing of Tim Sherwood (Sinclair was technically a Lambert signing) and the beginning of Sherwood’s reign and mark on the Aston Villa team.
Richards has been a right-back but the reports claim that he will most likely be used as a centre-back for Aston Villa. That is something that I find a little surprising because most Fiorentina fans claimed that he struggled to play at centre-back and was woeful when Fiorentina played with 5 at the back. Nonetheless, as a right-back he is very good. He is tall, strong and fast and will most likely rival Hutton for a spot at right-back. At the age of 26 he will most likely be our first team right-back during his 4 year contract.
But what really strikes me is his wage packed, £65,000 a week is a lot of money and a time period that many fans thought were over. It wasn’t so long ago that big wage earners were put into exile by Lambert in order to fix the financial situation at the club and to boost morale. Now it seems as though we are taking a u-turn with Sherwood in charge and willing to pay large wage fees. On the other hand, this was a free transfer so perhaps Villa are saving money but now paying a transfer fee? Based on my calculations, Richards will cost the club roughly £9 million – £13 million. Or is this a new era for Aston Villa? Maybe the new potential owner is willing to invest more money into the club or is the new TV deal allowing Premier clubs to the offer higher wage packages.
But nonetheless, Richards is a very good signing and is most likely one of our biggest (and well known) signing over the last few years. Richards may have not played too much football the last few years but I still believe that the will make a solid impact on the side and I am excited that he has joined the club. The Richards signing still doesn’t give us a clear representation on the type of players that Sherwood is looking for, but the picture is becoming clearer.
Here is a video of some of his best highlights:
But I thought that Richards was a CH? Not a FB!
I’m not convinced about this signing, especially if we’re talking 10-12 million mark. Money that could have been better spent elsewhere imo
We also have Bent completely off the books now which frees up some more money.
With sales of Weimann and Gil hopefully giving us about £7m plus Lerners usual transfer kitty of the usual £15-20m we should have enough to purchase Amavi (£6m) Townsend (£12-15m) and Huddlestone (£5.5m).
I know I’m just dreaming but it is in some ways potentially realistic. However we would still also need a goal keeper and another striker to partner Benteke… Now I really am dreaming
Oh yeah Richards great signing in my opinion. Even for that money with no transfer fee makes for a good buy and potentially the bargain of the year. You need quality players to attract other quality players and Richards along with now Delph and Benteke and a young Grealish gives Sherwood something to convince players with.
Seems Sanchez was brilliant again for Columbia against Brazil apparently almost single handedly stopping Neymar and any attacking threat in a man of the match performance
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-player-watch-carlos-9478156
On the topic of CS, I think he is one of our most valuable players and I expect him to have an incredicble next season. One of our key key players
Agreed, he is a quality player and could well become one of our best and most reliable, this coming season will tell now he knows what the premier league is all about.
Agreed, think he was a victim of his own style at Villa, as he likes to play the ball out, but we had a severe lack of outlets other than a long ball to Benteke – which is not CS style
In typical Villa fan style, he had 2 bad-ish games where his passing wasn’t great because he tried creating instead of doing the simple thing and he’s been considered awful ever since, despite stats proving his passing is as accurate as any midfielder we have.
5 ft 9 is tall for a defender? He’s tiny… Can’t see him being used at CB much to be honest.
He is 5 11 I think. But his leap is high which makes up for it
which would be the same height as Okore .. Okore and Richards as centre backs …
that to me would suggest a high line defence, they would be one of the more paciest central defensive duo’s
Okore is 6ft Richards 5 11. But defending set pieces and crosses is about position and timing the jump and heading clear it’s not just about height. Peter crouch dosnt win every aerial challenge and he’s a giant !
I just hope he doesn’t become another regular defensive crock.
Good signing, much better than Vlaar in my opinion, hopefully we’ll get rid as he is far too error and injury prone and thinks he’s better than he is.
Richards for Vlaar anytime. Welcome to VP Micah!
Paddington bloody Bear for Vlaar anytime
Just so happy this might spell the end for the cart horse Vlaar, overrated, too slow, loves a clumsy challenge and thinks he is bigger than the club…. Lets hope he is left without a club
Exactly, if he thinks he is bigger and better then us then don’t come crawling back when no one else wants the arrogant prick.
Great signing, welcome to Villa Park.
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/manchester-city/382/blog/post/2496820/injuries-kept-richards-from-being-man-city-england-regular?
That’s my worry summed up in this article. I hope he has an injury free period ahead of him. I’m not sure how he got on in Italy, but if he stayed fit all or most of their season that would be a big help.
Fingers crossed and good luck to him
Debate at work: Would you swap Benteke (30m value) for Townsend (12m), Walker (10m esp if spuds sign trippier) and Dembele (8m) – then sign Austin up front? Would that work if you were to lose benteke…
Personally – not in the least. 12m for Townsend is just throwing away good money and at that fee is he really better than what we have? Walker sure, but that ship had also sailed long ago. We might have better luck going for Yedlin. Dembele would be a Sherwood signing but I personally wouldn’t consider him a player with a “winning” mentality.
I think I agree with Marvin on this one. However, I would probably sell Benteke at £30M if we managed to get Austin (really doubt he is likely to come to us) plus a couple of other talented players in key positions.
Dembele’s the only one of those 3 I’d take. Townsend tries but he’s not a good enough player. Walker isn’t either, can’t defend at all and we’ve had enough solely attack minded defenders who allow cross after cross into our box (coughHuttoncough). Dembele’s actually of the quality we need. Dembele and 25m for Benteke I’d take.
Sadly I can’t see Levy doing us any favors and any Spurs linked player will come at a heavy cost to the club. When have Spurs ever let someone go on the cheap? Hell didn’t we even had to pay for that failed Jenas loan.
Yep, I honestly don’t believe a quarter of the links to Spurs or former Spurs players. Hell Sherwood said only 1 in 10 things come off correct by Townsend. Does that sound like a comment from a manager who wants a player? Not at all.
Personal opinion – interesting! Now the rumours are about us spending £10-£12m on players and they are still not good enough! For me Sanchez should start every game in front of the back 4 with Richards as our key CB alongside Clark. And yes I would take Townsend – an improvement on anything we have at the moment – but what do I know compared to the experts on here!
Is spending 12m on someone just because they’re better than N’Zogbia and Sinclair exactly good though? Can spend 2m on a player better than either of them, hell spent 3m on a player miles better than those two put together who doesn’t get played. Townsend isn’t worth that kind of money and isn’t that good.
I would say 10-12M for Townsend is low, he’s English and plays for Spurs. Two things which immediately suggest you are in for an inflated price. Who knows he very well may be on his way to the club now, but for that fee he isn’t that big of an improvement than we already have. Void of any news we should all assume Lerner will be at the club for another season and if the transfer kitty is the same well… that pretty much ends the summer right there.
I don’t believe anything until it actually happens, all these links & speculation are mostly media bollox & it bores me shiteless.suddenly spuds are now a feeder club to us just because their former manager is now at the VILLA it’s so predictable yawn fucking yawn.
Weimann officially gone?
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villas-andi-weimann-agrees-9484565
Townsend now 1/4 to join villa on skybet.